OSF Costume Rentals

08/27/2021

Did you know that the only laboratory in the world devoted to wildlife law enforcement is just a fifteen minute drive from OSF Costume Rentals? One of the ways that the US Fish and Wildlife Service Forensic Lab supports law enforcement with solving crimes related to wildlife is by matching known fur samples to samples supplied as evidence in crimes. We are so pleased to announce that they accepted a large donation of fur coats, stoles and pieces from OSF Costume Rentals today! Although real fur is historically accurate, its often too hot or heavy for stage use. Being able to free up storage space by passing along these furs to an organization that will use them to solve crimes against animals is definitely a win win!

08/26/2021

Work continues on the first ever OSF Costume Rentals promotional video! The pieces are coming together and it will be so FABULOUS!!
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08/25/2021

All boxed up with somewhere to go! These two boxes of costumes are headed to Andy Batt Studio for a historical gossip/comedy podcast called Antique Tea. Our costumes have the best adventures, and I can't wait to laugh along with this fun project.
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08/16/2021

OK, so maybe I have a bit of a shoe fixation this month, but have you seen the shoe history time line on the V& A Museum website? https://www.vam.ac.uk/shoestimeline/ What a gorgeous way to learn about shoes, society, art and history! Hammy was so inspired that he had to show off his Cavalier side....

08/13/2021

Today we salute the simple elegance and comfort of a pair of ballet flats! A long time staple of footwear for stage, basic flats lend them selves to many time periods, including the Renaissance, Regency and 1960s. Did you know that American fashion designer Claire McCardell commissioned Italian dance shoe maker Salvatore Capezio to make rubber soled ballet flats to match her dresses in the 1940s?

08/11/2021

How do you store more than a thousand pairs of shoes? In ALL the ways you possibly can! At OSF Costume Rentals, we have pipes to hang boots from, shelves to hold dress shoes and pumps, and bins to hold flats, sandals and slippers. What's your favorite way to keep shoes from descending into mayhem?

08/09/2021

Carrying on with my musings about footwear, check out these 6 pairs of beauties! The two pair in the back row would be appropriate for 17th/18th century, the middle row for 1940s, and the front row for any magical fantasy you like!

08/06/2021

Working on restocking shoes today, and its got me thinking about how shoes are constructed. Did you know that the job title of "cordwainer" is specific to folks who make shoes, and that "cobbler" refers to someone who repairs shoes?

08/03/2021

Today we celebrate one the most humble, certainly one the most essential of all sewing sewing implements...the safety pin! Invented in 1849 by Walter Hunt, I sincerely doubt that he could have imagined all of the ways that we have put safety pins to use. But whether you're holding up a hem, closing a busted zipper, or creating something entirely new out of them, safety pins are a vital part of anyone's sewing kit. Check out this 60 Second Doc about Sweedish clothing designer Tonje Halvorsen's magnificent creations for more inspiration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a-wVSs-Bmo

“I’m addicted to safety pins,” says Tonje Halvorsen from Sweden. Meticulously designing clothes from as many as 125,000 safety pins and 500 devoted hours, sh...

07/28/2021

Today OSF Costume Rentals celebrates the Chickasaw Nation Department of Communications and their documentary series, Enduring Nation. They've rented these costumes for a segment about the signing of the Treaty of Paris. Its been a fun project to work on, and we can't wait until its aired!

07/26/2021

Our friends at Bethany Publishing are working on another book cover photo shoot. This one calls for a "gentleman dandy from 1900-1902". Which one would you choose?

07/16/2021

OSF Costume Rentals will be closed July 17th-26th for Summer Vacation. We'll be back on the 27th. Stay cool, everyone!

07/14/2021

Ooof! Its been a hot summer, and today I'm dreaming of cool water, fresh sea breezes and umbrella drinks. These swim suits used in OSF's productions of The Odyssey, Cocoanuts, and Othello fit right into my mood. Which shows can you think of that bring swimwear on to stages?

07/12/2021

Today we celebrate the process of getting a digital production together with this look at all of the costume pieces pulled for OSF's Cymbeline Project. After Costume Designer X. Hill created a shopping cart on our website, www.osfcostumerentals.org., Costume Design Assistant Melissa Torchia and I pulled the pieces from inventory and organized them. Now everything is ready for the first round of meetings and, not long after that, fittings!

It was such fun to locate, touch and organize the pieces chosen by X. I'm looking forward to seeing how all of these pieces come together in the production.
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07/09/2021

All boxed up with somewhere to go! Two boxes of costumes are on their way to the State Theatre in Uniontown, PA for their upcoming production of The Sound Of Music! What production are you working on this week?

07/07/2021

OSF Costume Rentals would like to salute the First Nations designers and artists whose work was shown at Australia's Fashion Week in June. Check out these gorgeous and inspiring designs!
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2021/06/03/first-nations-designers-and-artists-make-history-australian-fashion-week-1

GALLERY: The curated event presented the works of seven First Nations designers, worn by all-Indigenous models. Take a look at the deadly designs.

07/05/2021

OSF Costume Rentals is closed Monday, July 5th in observance of Independence Day. recently rented this awesome outfit for Ben Franklin to wear in a commercial produced by How will you observe this holiday?

07/02/2021

This was the week that my dreams of an organized Fantasy Section came true! Its so easy for this aisle to become a chaotic space for all the fabulous pieces that just don't fit into a period specific category. It took oh so many trips up and down the ladder, but all 64 feet of hanging space are now sorted and clearly labeled. It will no longer be referred to as the "Aisle of Misfit Costumes". Feels most excellent!
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07/01/2021

June may be over, but Pride should be year-round--don't you agree!?

We wanted to close out the month by sharing our thoughts on last month's Pride posts, and more!

We talk about OSF’s Mission & Values, how the Costume Rentals business serves its customers, and touch on how the Pride month posts were conceived.

One thing we really felt it was important to discuss, is how Theatre is a safe space for all kinds of folks—including the LGBTQIA community.

We also discussed how the tools we use in costume design (color, line, silhouette) can simply inform the audience of the character’s motivations and identity—regardless of the body that inhabits it…

We hope you enjoy—and we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!https://youtu.be/XU9B3B_dScw

As June comes to a close, we wanted to take some time to chat about PRIDE! We talk about OSF’s Mission & Values, how the Costume Rentals business serves its ...

06/30/2021

Today we thought it would be fun to talk about one of the most iconic female roles in the theatre.
Edna Turnblad, of the Broadway musical Hairspray. While it's true, Edna is traditionally played by a man in full Drag--she is never referenced as such. She is not a Trans character, or a Gay character, per se--but she is an iconic LGBTQ+ figure, nonetheless.

Baltimore drag queen Divine played the role in the original 1988 John Waters film, and John Travolta played Edna in the 2007 movie musical.

So why is Edna always played by a man?

John Waters has this to say...
"People say, 'Why is Edna always a man?' …But the reason it's always a man is because that's a secret the audience has. The cast, Tracy Turnblad doesn't think her mother is a man. It's a secret the audience has. The cast doesn't know."

Take a look at the incredible costumes from the 2019 OSF production of Hairspray, designed and illustrated by Susan Tsu.

Read more about the original inspiration for Edna-- Legendary Drag Queen, singer, and actor Divine, as well as a slideshow of notable Ednas through the years....

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/gallery/hairspray-edna-turnblad-male-actors-855492/1-divine/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_(performer)

06/25/2021

As Pride Month continues, we thought it would be helpful to share this in depth article detailing 21 LGBTQ+ Pride Flags and their meaning by Seventeen Magazine.

https://www.seventeen.com/life/g32577915/lgbtq-pride-flags/

Flags that help different members of the LGBTQ community feel seen and heard.

06/24/2021

🏳️‍⚧The flag represents the transgender community and consists of five horizontal stripes. Two light blue which is the traditional color for baby boys, two pink for girls, with a white stripe in the center for those who are transitioning, who feel they have a neutral gender or no gender, and those who are intersex.

🏳️‍⚧"Remember this, whoever you are, however you are, you are equally valid, equally justified, and equally beautiful."
— Juno Dawson, 'The Gender Games: The Problems With Men and Women, From Someone Who Has Been Both,' 2017.

🏳️‍⚧"I did not want to cheat my own reality. I simply wasn't able to do that. My education, my very being was telling me to be honest with myself."
—Manabi Bandyopadhyay, Interview with Caravan, 2015.

🏳️‍⚧"To all trans youth out there, I would like to say respect yourself and be proud of who you are. All human beings deserve equal treatment no matter their gender identity or sexuality. To be perceived as what you say you are is a basic right."
—Andreja Pejic, GLAAD magazine, 2014.

🏳️‍⚧"I think trans women, and trans people in general, show everyone that you can define what it means to be a man or woman on your own terms. A lot of what feminism is about is moving outside of roles and moving outside of expectations of who and what you're supposed to be to live a more authentic life."
— Laverne Cox, DAME Interview, 2014.

🏳️‍⚧"Trans people are extraordinary, strong, intelligent, persistent and resilient. We have to be. And we will not stand for the picking and choosing of rights. We still have hope."
— Grace Dolan-Sandrino, Interview with the Washington Post, 2017.

🏳️‍⚧"Being transgender, like being gay, tall, short, white, black, male, or female, is another part of the human condition that makes each individual unique and something over which we have no control. We are who we are in the deepest recesses of our minds, hearts, and identities."
—Linda Thompson.

🏳️‍⚧"All of us are put in boxes by our family, by our religion, by our society, our moment in history, even our own bodies. Some people have the courage to break free."
— Geena Rocero, TED Talk, 2014.

06/23/2021

OSF Costume Rentals celebrates Pride Month with this flash back post from 2019 that examines the meaning behind the colors in the rainbow flag🏳️‍🌈

Purple: SPIRIT
We celebrate SPIRIT💜

💜Spirit is defined as the principle of conscious life; the vital principle in humans, animating the body or mediating between body and soul.

💜“Great SPIRITS have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds”
—Albert Einstein

💜 “Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their SPIRIT ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it”
—Wilferd Peterson

💜 “ There is a light in this world. A healing SPIRIT more powerful than any darkness we may encounter. We sometimes lose sight of this force when there is suffering, and too much pain. Then suddenly, the SPIRIT will emerge through the lives of ordinary people who hear a call and answer in extraordinary ways.”
—Richard Attenborough

We celebrate Spirit.💜
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06/21/2021

OSF Costume Rentals celebrates Pride Month with this flash back post from 2019 that examines the meaning behind the colors in the rainbow flag 🏳️‍🌈
Blue: SERENITY
We celebrate SERENITY 💙

💙Serenity is defined as feeling a sense of calm, feeling peaceful, and untroubled.

💙 The world we live in is in desperate need of serenity—it starts with peace, understanding, and acceptance.

💙 Many LGBTQ individuals live in a state of fear and angst—and find it difficult to feel a sense of calm. There is uncertainty connected to living with a secret, and only when they are truly accepted, can they feel serenity.

💙Serenity is something that can be given—share a moment of calm and peacefulness with a friend or loved one—just “be” without judgement or tension.

“What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter - a soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue.”
—Henri Matisse

We celebrate Serenity.💙
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06/18/2021

OSF Costume Rentals celebrates Pride Month with this flash back post from 2019 that examines the meaning behind the colors in the rainbow flag🏳️‍🌈

Green: NATURE
We celebrate Nature

In nature, everything is connected--everything is included.

Nature is phenomenal proof that the only guarantee we have in life is CHANGE. Nature adapts. Nature manages change in healthy, unique ways. We have much to learn from nature.

It is in our nature to be curious--not fearful.

It is in our nature to be welcoming--not dismissive

It is in our nature to protect one another--not to abandon

We celebrate Nature
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06/16/2021

OSF Costume Rentals celebrates Pride Month with this flash back post from 2019 that examines the meaning behind the colors in the rainbow flag.🏳️‍🌈
Yellow: SUNLIGHT
We celebrate Sunlight ☀️

☀️ Sunlight represents life, energy, strength, power, and rebirth—the sun gives us strength to carry on when things are hard.

☀️The sun creates energy and power—energy to carry on when times are hard.

☀️The sun represents a new day—rebirth—Self-acceptance can feel like the sun emerging from behind the storm clouds!

☀️ Each new day brings the sun, and each day we have opportunity to become a source of light to someone else.
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06/14/2021

OSF Costume Rentals celebrates Pride Month with this flash back post from 2019 that examines the meaning behind the colors in the rainbow flag.🏳️‍🌈
Orange: HEALING.
We celebrate healing.
When a person chooses to accept and embrace an LGBTQ friend/loved one, that begins to build a foundation of healing.
We provide healing when we acknowledge the pain of those who are still struggling with their identity.
We wrap our arms around those who have been shunned by their loved ones so that we may facilitate their healing.
Lastly, we have hope that those who do not accept the LGBTQ people in their lives can one day find it in their hearts and minds to evolve their thinking--for they are also in need of healing.
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06/11/2021

Pose has held a special place in our hearts at OSF Costume Rentals ever since they rented a gown from us for an episode and this Vogue Photoshoot by Nigel Shafran back in 2018. The gown was originally designed by Loren Shaw for Miriam A. Laube to wear as Gynecia in OSF's 2015 production of Head Over Heels. Rachel Parks and her team were responsible for draping the pattern and constructing the gown.
As the series came to a close, this article in Variety https://variety.com/2021/tv/features/pose-wedding-dress-analucia-mcgorty-1234975804/ gave great insight into costume designer Analucia McGorty's design process for the gorgeous wedding gown worn by Indya Moore in the final episode.
From inspiration through construction to the moment that a costume is worn, so many lives are touched by the artistry that tells stories. With every rental, OSF Costume Rentals has the opportunity to support story telling again, and we couldn't be more proud.

06/09/2021

All boxed up with somewhere to go! OSF Costume Rentals is so excited to ship this order to Kentucky Shakespeare for their production of Shakespeare in Love. Costume Designer Donna Downs first reached out to OSF Costume Rentals about this show back in June of 2020, and despite set backs of every imaginable kind this production just has not given up. In an industry where its a "mystery" as to how everything comes together on stage, OSF Costume Rentals would like to highlight the resilience, determination, talent and skill that is poured into every moment of a show from pre-production to closing. Shakespeare himself would be proud of this show!
❤️ !

06/07/2021

OSF Costume Rentals celebrates Pride Month with this flash back post from 2019 that examines the meaning behind colors in the rainbow flag.🏳️‍🌈
Red: LIFE.
We celebrate life. Not only the lives of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, but the lives of our allies and friends.
Many members of our community have lost their lives in the name of equality and visibility, and we honor their memory.
In this world where hate crimes and ignorance still exist, we choose to celebrate LIFE.
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